Crucible Steel Wire,REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire

Crucible Steel Wire REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel Wire REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire Synonyms -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Crucible Steel REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Product Information -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: # **Product Introduction: Crucible Steel REX® M2 S High Speed Steel** Crucible Steel REX® M2 S is a premium high-sulfur, free-machining variant of the ubiquitous AISI M2 high-speed steel (HSS). While maintaining the core alloy composition and desirable properties of standard M2 HSS—such as **good hot hardness (red hardness) and wear resistance**—the "S" designation indicates a deliberate and controlled addition of sulfur. This addition significantly enhances the steel's **machinability in the annealed state**, making it an exceptional choice for producing complex tools via high-speed automatic screw machines or CNC lathes. The inclusion of sulfur forms manganese sulfide inclusions within the steel matrix. These inclusions act as built-in chip breakers during machining, reducing cutting forces, improving surface finish, and extending tool life for the machining tools themselves. It is crucial to understand that REX M2 S is **not** a particle metallurgy (PM) grade. It is a conventionally cast and wrought steel where sulfur modification is used to overcome the typical poor machinability of high-speed steels, offering a practical balance between performance and manufacturability for specific production methods. --- ## **1. Chemical Composition (Weight %)** The composition aligns with standard M2 HSS but includes a controlled sulfur addition, typically within AISI-specified limits for such grades. | **Element** | **Carbon (C)** | **Tungsten (W)** | **Molybdenum (Mo)** | **Chromium (Cr)** | **Vanadium (V)** | **Sulfur (S)** | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Content** | 0.85 - 0.95 | 5.90 - 6.40 | 4.70 - 5.20 | 3.80 - 4.40 | 1.75 - 2.05 | **0.06 - 0.15 (Min)** | | **Role** | Provides base hardness and contributes to carbide formation for wear resistance. | Key contributor to hot hardness and abrasion resistance. | Primary agent for hardenability and hot hardness; improves toughness. | Ensures deep hardenability and provides moderate oxidation resistance. | Forms hard vanadium carbides (VC) for enhanced wear resistance at the cutting edge. | **Primary Modifier.** Forms soft manganese sulfide (MnS) inclusions that act as chip breakers and internal lubricants during machining, dramatically improving machinability. | *Note: Iron (Fe) constitutes the remainder. Manganese (Mn) content is typically adjusted to balance the sulfur. Cobalt is not present in standard M2 S.* --- ## **2. Physical & Mechanical Properties** *Properties after heat treatment are nearly identical to standard M2 HSS, but machinability in the annealed state is the key differentiator.* * **Density:** ~8.16 g/cm³ (0.295 lb/in³) - Identical to standard M2. * **Hot Hardness (Red Hardness):** **Good.** Maintains hardness above 60 HRC at temperatures exceeding 500°C (930°F), enabling high-speed cutting operations. * **Hardness (Typical Working Range):** **62 - 66 HRC.** Most commonly heat treated to **64-65 HRC**, matching the performance of standard M2. * **Abrasion Resistance:** **Good to Very Good.** Comparable to standard M2; suitable for machining a wide range of materials. * **Toughness:** **Good for a HSS.** Similar to standard M2. The sulfide inclusions have a minimal effect on the **hardened** mechanical properties when the steel is properly heat treated. * **Machinability (Annealed State):** **Excellent (for a HSS).** This is the defining characteristic. REX M2 S can be machined **2-3 times faster** than standard M2 with lower power consumption, better chip control, and superior surface finish. It is ideal for high-volume production of complex tool geometries via machining. * **Grindability (Hardened State):** **Fair.** Comparable to standard M2. The sulfides do not significantly affect grinding performance after heat treatment. --- ## **3. Heat Treatment** Heat treatment cycles are identical to those for standard AISI M2 HSS. * **Annealing:** Heat to 850-870°C (1560-1600°F), slow cool. Annealed hardness: 215-240 HB. * **Preheating:** **Critical.** Double preheat: First at 540-650°C (1000-1200°F), then at 815-870°C (1500-1600°F). * **Austenitizing:** **1190-1220°C (2175-2230°F).** Typical temperature is ~1205°C (2200°F). * **Quenching:** Air quench, salt bath, or controlled gas quench. * **Tempering:** **Mandatory Multiple Tempers.** Temper immediately. **Two to three tempers** at **540-570°C (1000-1060°F)**, each for 2 hours. * **Sub-Zero Treatment:** Commonly applied between quenching and tempering to maximize hardness and stability. --- ## **4. Key Applications** REX M2 S is specifically chosen for **high-volume manufacturing of complex-shaped cutting tools** where machining cost and efficiency are paramount. * **Automatically Machined Cutting Tools:** Drills, taps, reamers, end mills, and form tools produced on multi-spindle automatic screw machines or CNC lathes. * **Complex Form Tools and Cutters:** Tools with intricate profiles that would be prohibitively expensive or time-consuming to grind from solid bar stock of standard M2. * **High-Volume Tool Production:** Any application requiring the production of a large quantity of identical M2 HSS tools, where reduced machining time directly lowers unit cost. * **General-Purpose HSS Tools:** All applications standard M2 is used for (machining steels, cast irons, etc.), but where the tool itself benefits from being more economically manufactured. --- ## **5. International Standards & Cross-References** REX M2 S is a free-machining variant of AISI M2. It is often denoted with an "S" suffix. * **AISI/SAE:** **M2 (Free-Machining Grade)**, often written as **M2 (S)** * **UNS:** T11302 (same base as M2, with sulfur addition) * **European (EN):** Not a standard EN grade. The closest concept is a free-machining variant of **1.3343**. * **Japanese (JIS):** **SKH51 (with S additive)**. * **Common Trade Names:** M2 Free-Machining, M2 High-Sulfur, "M2 Screw Stock." --- ## **6. Advantages & Limitations** **Advantages:** * **Superior Machinability:** Drastically reduces production time and cost for complex M2 tools. * **Maintains M2 Performance:** After heat treatment, it delivers the same cutting performance, hardness, and wear resistance as standard M2. * **Better Chip Control & Surface Finish:** During machining of the tool blank itself. * **Increased Production Rates:** Enables faster feeds and speeds when manufacturing the tools. **Limitations:** * **Directional Properties:** Like all wrought steels, it exhibits some anisotropy. Machining with the grain flow is optimal. * **Not for PM Applications:** It is not a powder metallurgy steel and does not offer the isotropic toughness and grindability of CPM M2. * **Slight Reduction in Transverse Toughness:** The sulfide stringers can slightly reduce toughness perpendicular to the rolling direction compared to a low-sulfur M2, but this is rarely significant for finished cutting tools. * **Specific Use Case:** Its advantages are only realized during the **manufacturing (machining)** of the tool, not in its end-use application. --- ## **7. Summary** **Crucible Steel REX® M2 S is a specialized manufacturing solution, not just a material. It is standard M2 HSS engineered for production efficiency.** By incorporating sulfur to create a free-machining grade, it allows tool manufacturers to produce complex, high-performance M2 cutting tools faster, cheaper, and with greater precision in the machining stage. For companies engaged in high-volume production of drills, taps, and other formed HSS tools, REX M2 S offers a direct path to reducing manufacturing costs while delivering an end product with the trusted performance of AISI M2. It is the intelligent choice when the economics of tool production are as important as the performance of the tool itself. -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Specification Dimensions Size： Diameter 20-1000 mm Length <6978 mm Size:We can customized as required Standard： Per your request or drawing We can customized as required Properties（Theoretical） Chemical Composition -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Crucible Steel REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Properties -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Applications of Crucible Steel Wire REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Chemical Identifiers Crucible Steel Wire REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -:

Packing of Crucible Steel Wire REX® M2 S High Speed Steel Wire -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Standard Packing: -:- For detailed product information, please contact sales. -: Typical bulk packaging includes palletized plastic 5 gallon/25 kg. pails, fiber and Steel Wire drums to 1 ton super sacks in full container (FCL) or truck load (T/L) quantities. Research and sample quantities and hygroscopic, oxidizing or other air sensitive materials may be packaged under argon or vacuum. Solutions are packaged in polypropylene, plastic or glass jars up to palletized 3449 gallon liquid totes Special package is available on request. E FORUs’ is carefully handled to minimize damage during storage and transportation and to preserve the quality of our products in their original condition